Bottle protector



1,632,347 June 14, 1927 J. A HPKIN BOTTLE PROTECTOR Filed April 18, 1925 Patented June 14, 1927'.

UNITED STATES JAMES A. PIPKIN, F WACO, TEXAS.

BOTTLE PROTECTOR.

Application filed April 18, 1925. Serial No. 24,073.

This invention relates generally to improvements in protectors for containers such as bottles, glasses, and similar articles, and

sation, drippings, etc., which run down the exterior surfaces of the container.

Experience has shown that in dis ensing beverages such as soft drinks and t e like, at soda fountains, soft drink stands, and roadside refreshment booths, considerable annoyance and embarrassment has been experienced by both the proprietors and the patrons, due to the fact that the liquid refreshments dispensed are usually iced and served in glasses, bottles, or other containers which, upon contact with the warmer air,

. condense the moisture therein, which collects upon the exterior surface of the containers in uantities suflicient to cause the same to tric e down the sides thereof in tiny streams, and eventually to drop from the lower edge of the container onto the clothing of the party indulging in the refresh- .ments. ThlS is particularly true where soft drink beverages are served in the original bottles and which, prior to being served have been stored in a refrigerator or packed in crushed ice for the purpose of cooling the contents of the bottle, as is the usual practice at roadside refreshment booths, in which case the bottle, when served, is actually dripping with moisture both from condensation and from contact with the ice bath. It has also been noted that, due to the insecure gripping surface afforded by wet glasses, bottles or glasses of beverage are often accidentally dropped by slipping from the hands of the holder, with disastrous results, not only to the container itself, but to the clothing of people in the immediate vicinity.

With these facts in mind, the present invention has for its object the provision of a cup-shaped attachment for containerssuch as bottles, glasses, etc., used for dispensing cold drinks and beverages, which will cover the bottom and surround the lower portion .of the container and serve to absorb the moisture on the outer surface thereof, as well .as to provide a cushioning base for the container, whereby to substantially reduce the possibility of breakage of the container.

A furtherobject of the invention is to so design the protector as to preclude the possibility of its being used as, or mistaken for a drinking vessel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protector such as above described, which will be simple and economical to manufacture and use, but which will be thorughly practicable and which will efficientl fulfill the purpose for Which it was designed? These and other objectswill become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is an elevation of a bottle with the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one form of the invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of that form of the invention illustrated in Figure 3 applied to a container.

Figure 5 is an elevation of the invention applied to a drinking glass.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout, 1 is a container in the form of a bottle such as is generally employed in bottling and dispensing soft drinks, to which a protector 2, such as contemglated by the present invention, is apphe The protector comprises a flat bottom and a cup-shaped body portion 3 substantially cylindrical in form and designed to cover the bottom and surround the lower portion of the container to which it is to be applied. The protector may be made of any suitable and inexpensive material, such as absorbent paper,blotting paper, or the like, and may be molded orotherwise formed in various sizes and shapes to be determined by the configuration and size of the container with which it is to be used.

The protector 2, while being similar in size and shape'to an ordinary paper drinking cup, is in no way adapted for such use,

due to thefact that it is made of absorbent material, and, as such, possesses no water resisting ualitie's, but, on the contrary, has a great a ity therefor. In order, therefore, to preclude the possibility of 1t being mistaken or used for a drinking cup, is e cylindrical body wall thereof is apertured at 4 and provided at its upper edge w1th a plurality of serrations 5, it being noted that the apertures 4 not only indicate that the article is not a drinking vessel, but also provide means for the ready esca of air entrapped in the protector when mg applied to a container; while the serrations 5 not on] present an ed decidedly repu ant to e idea of using fie protector as a ri i 'inkvessel but the also serve to eatly in- ?ase thd absorb nt surface available for the purpose of encountering the moisture and drippings running down the sides of the'contamer.

In Figure 3 a slightly modified form of the invention is illustrated, wherein the up per edge 6 of the protector is rolled or beaded and provided with an expansible contracted portion as at 7 whereby the protector will hug the walls of a container and, due to said expansible portion, will .be able to accommodate itself to' slight variations in the size of the container. This feature is clearly illustrated in Figure 4 wherein a protector such as illustrated in igure 3 is shown applied to a container of slightly increased size, the rolled edge 6 and contracted portion 7 having expanded to snugly fit the walls of the container. It is to be noted that in this modification the rolled or beaded edge 6 presents an enlarged absorbent surface to the moisture-ladenwalls of the container, corresponding to the serrated edge 5 of that form of the invention illustrated in Figure 2.

The protector may be made of paper stock of various colors to provide an article of pleasing ap earance, and should be of a suitable thic ess to aiford not only a sufficient ainount of stock to absorb the necessary quantity of moisture from the container wa but also to provide a cushioned base for the container. If desired, the body of the protector may contain certain advertising matter, such as indicated at 8, it bein apparent that the particular use to whic t e protector is put makes it an unusually valuable medium of advertising.

From the foregoing description it is a A parent that a protector for bottles and dri ing vessels has been provided which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and one that may be readily applied'to a container, and which, when so applied, will not only quickly and completely absorb all moisture and drippings u n the outer sur-. face thereof, but will furt ermore'provide a cushioned base for the container. Furthermore, the protector is such that it rovides an ideal gripping surface for hol ing the container while artaking of its contents, and thus all possibility of accidentally dropping the container is substantially precluded.

It is to be noted that, while several preferred modifications of the invention have beeni herein illustrated and described, such illustrations and description have been for the purpose of example only, and not as definin the limits of the invention, which are to determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new is:

1. A protector for use on drinking vessels comprising a cup having a body portion designed to fit snugly against and surround at least the lower portion of the periphery of the body of the vessel, said body portion having an 0 en top and a bottom closing the lower end 0? the body portion and designed torfit snugly against the bottom of the vessel, said body portion and the bottom of said cup being constructed of moisture absorbent material, the upper end of the body portion being shaped to present an edge area eater than the cross sectional area of the b0 y portion to increase the moisture absorbent capacit of the upper end, said upper end being tted snugly against and flatly engaging the 'riphery of the body of the vessel throug out the entire linear extent of the edge area of the upper end.

2. A protector for use on drinking vessels comprising a cup having a body portion designed to fit snugly against and surround at'least the lower portion of the periphery 'of the body of the vessel, said body portion having an o 11 top and a bottom closing the lower end 0 the body portion and designed to fit snugly against the bottom of the vessel,

said body portion and the bottom of the cup bein constructedof moisture absorbent materia the upper end of the body portion being serrated to present an edge area eater than the cross sectional area of the ody portion to increase the moisture absorbentca acity of the upper end, said u per end being fitted snugly against and flat y engaging the periphery of the body of the vesse throughout the entire linear extent of the edge'area of the upper end.

3. A protector for use on drinking ve$els comprislng a cup having a body portion designed to fit snugly against and surround at least the lower portion of the periphery of the body of'the vessel, said bod ortion having an open top and a bottom c osmg the lower end of the bod portion and designed to fit snugly against t e bottom of the vessel, said body portion and the bottom of said cup being constructed of moisture absorbent material, the body portion of the cup havin openings therein slightly above the closed noses-17 8 bottom of the cup to permit the escape of cushioned bottom, a serrated upper edge, and air entrapped in the cup when being applied a plurality of apertures in the walls thereof to a vessel. whereby to permit the escape of air en- 10 4. A protector for liquid containers com trapped in the cup when being applied to a 8 prising a cup of water-absorbing material container.

designed to envelop the lower ortion of a In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. container, said cup being provlded with a JAMES A. PIPKIN. 

